As the 2020 presidential race continues, we essentially see to possible options for the Democratic Party. And it is splitting the party in two. On the more moderate side, we have former Vice President Joe Biden. On the far-left, both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. And this is problematic for the socialistic left.
With two candidates vying for support, their vote is split. And neither of them have enough on their own to currently overtake Biden for the nomination, that is at the rate they are going. So far, they have gotten along rather nicely, each not willing to condemn the other. However, as the race heats up, that will have to change.
However, that poses yet another problem for them. If they decide to ‘go at it’ and attack one another, they both run the risk of being destroyed in the process. This would let Biden simply collect his lead and run far ahead to the nomination.
And that is precisely why some on the far left have proposed that the two team up to beat Biden using a single ticket.
As the New York Times reports, “Representative Ro Khanna of California, a co-chairman of Mr. Sanders’s campaign, said the solution would be to create a Sanders-Warren ticket.”
According to Khanna, “The two of them could usher in a progressive era for the next decade.” Khanna went on to say this would be similar to what Bill Clinton did in the early 90s when he teamed up with the younger and relatively moderate Al Gore. Together, “they doubled down on a bet for a centrist vision of the party. This would be a bet on a progressive vision of the party,” Khanna says.
The NY Times also added, that “Another Sanders supporter, Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, was equally effusive. ‘I think that would be just the dream of all progressives,’ she said. ‘When you’re going into a battlefield, you want your best players to be on the field starting. And they are our best.”
And while it may be the dream of some progressives for the two to team up, there are quite a few who aren’t sure that it will be possible. In particular, they point out that Sanders and his campaign might not be willing to take on someone like Warren, who has recently changed her mind on the very significant issue of Medicare for All.
Initially, Warren was all for Sanders’ idea of Medicare for All. In fact, she spent several months, saying, “I’m with Bernie,” on the issue. And the left applauded her efforts. She rose significantly in the polls and was able to raise a substantial amount of funds for her campaign.
However, rumors began that insinuated that Medicare for All might be the downfall of the Democratic Party if they chose a nominee who supported it. While it might help her to win against Bernie or another Democrat, she was no longer sure it was a good idea to run against Trump with such a progressive plan.
Added to that hesitation was the amount of blowback she was receiving about her math skills. According to her plan, Medicare for All wouldn’t require raised taxes on the middle class. But few saw how this was possible. So she changed her mind, introducing a new plan that would delay the start of Medicare for All for at least three years. This might appease those in the general election who would be hesitant about M4A, allowing Warren and her would-be presidential staff to work out all the details in those three years.
However, Medicare for All is nearly the backbone of Sanders’ campaign, so the likelihood of him taking on a VP that is willing to flip-flop so quickly on issues of great importance to him could be slim.
The NY Times reported that some Bernie fans would agree. According to them, “Mr. Sanders’s aides say Ms. Warren’s shift has signaled to progressive voters that she is malleable on what they consider a fundamental values issue. Her pivot on health care, along with the support she enjoys from a handful of billionaires, represents the best opportunity to diminish liberal enthusiasm for Ms. Warren, says Sanders supporters.”
Either way, it seems their fates are tied. Either the two go down with the ship together, losing against Biden after attacking each other, or they team up and possibly win the nomination. Basically, the decision lies in Bernie’s court.
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